damp powder

[gb0399]

On a recent hunting trip, my .50 kentucky refused to fire even after 6 #11 caps. I pulled the ball and am ready to start again. Before I load up and have the same problem, I decided to "test" the powder. I poured a table spoon of FFG pyrodex into a glass bowl and presented a lit piece of cardboard to it with a set of tongs. It took about 2 seconds of direct contact before it flashed. Can I assume this means that it is damp?

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

Whether its damp, spoiled, old, or just because it's second rate want to be Black Powder, it is time to dump it out or use it as lawn fertilizer.

If it was REAL Black Powder you could dry it out and it would be good as new, but Pyrodex is notorious for being susceptible to any number of ailments, and unable to be rescued.

 

[david58]

Black powder doesn't light off like in the westerns - it takes hotter than plain old paper on fire to make it torch quickly. Once it goes, though....

Sometimes a small obstruction can cause failures to fire, and pyrodex is not as bangy as black powder. I occasionally see my wife's Renegade fail to fire with Goex and RWS caps, and it is not due to moisture as we don't have much here in NM. Not sure what's happening....

 

[Patocazador]

Whether its damp, spoiled, old, or just because it's second rate want to be Black Powder, it is time to dump it out or use it as lawn fertilizer.

If it was REAL Black Powder you could dry it out and it would be good as new, but Pyrodex is notorious for being susceptible to any number of ailments, and unable to be rescued.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I agree.

Stop all the problems and switch to real black powder. Pyrodex is more difficult to ignite even when new and dry.

 

[Hellgate]

You may have fouling or corrosion buildup in the flash channel that is restricting how much flame gets to the powder. Clean that out first. (Remove nipple, pipe cleaner, nipple pick, canned air, etc.) Pyrodex is harder to ignite than real BP. That is why it is classified as a propellant rather than an explosive and is more readily shipped. See if you can clear out the flash channel and if you still have trouble with ignition then get some BP or a different substitute like APP/Pinnicle/Black MZ/Shockey's Gold,777, etc.

 

[gb0399]

I gave the gun a good cleaning and found no reason for the gun not to fire. I guess I'll just switch back to black powder.

 

[LoneGoose]

I didn't notice this mentioned:

I run a clean patch down the bore and fire one or two caps before I load in order to blow out any oil that may be left in the barrel from a previous cleaning. Oil in the flash channel can contaminate your powder and spoil it.

 

[frontiergander]

pyrodex is harder to light off and will not flash up right away like real black powder.

Next time it fails to fire, remove the nipple and see if theres actually any powder UNDER the nipple.

 

[Noz]

When you fire a couple of caps to clear the flash channel You can create a problem. With out the back pressure of a firing charge the flash material cover in the bottom of the cap may stick in the throat of the nipple.
At the very least run a nipple pick thru the nipple before you load after firing clearing caps.
This is again one of those "don't ask me how I know this" replies.